Blount Co. August Causes, Connections & Business
It was another terrible week in the USA. As an individual, it is sometimes hard to know how to have an impact on gun violence in our country. Below are some potential remedies to consider.
AUGUST 2019 – CALL TO ACTION
Gun Legislation Rally – Sunday, August 18th from 3-4 PM at Howard Baker Jr. Federal Court House, 800 Market Square Knoxville. Consider joining the Recess Rally sponsored by Knoxville Moms Demand Action and Women’s March Coalition-East TN on This event hopes to spur the Senate into action to consider legislation designed to curb gun violence. See this Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/
Ask Senators to Support Gun Legislation – In February the House passed 2 bills that so far Sen. McConnell has refused to take up in the Senate. More bills have been filed in the Senate and are being held up. Please contact our TN Senators and Sen. McConnell to ask that these bills be brought to the floor for discussion and vote. Sen. McConnell can be reached via email https://www.mcconnell.senate.
- HR 1112 is the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, which addresses the “Charleston Loophole”.
- HR 8 is the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 that requires universal background checks for all gun sales.
- S 7 and HR 3076 are the Extreme Risk Protection (red flag) Order Acts of 2019 that is sponsored by Sen. Rubio. More information on ERPOs can be found here and here.
- S 66 is the Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2019.
- S 894 and HR 1296 are Domestic Terrorism Prevention Acts of 2019.
- Ask Speaker Pelosi to pass assault weapons ban legislation.
- Ask Sen. McConnell to call an emergency session of the Senate to consider gun safety legislation.
- Ask Walmart to stop selling guns and ammunition like Dick’s Sporting Good stores did.
- Tell our federal leaders that we need common sense gun laws.
Good News!
- A circuit court judge struck down the Florida law requiring local legislators to pay a fine or risk removal from office if they voted to regulate guns.
- Car companies are ignoring the administration’s pollution rules rollback and are working with California to reduce automobile emissions.
- Although the administration has not allowed many Syrian refugees into the country, it did extend their Temporary Protective Status for 18 months
Don’t Believe the Hype: GET THE FACTS
- Read about the effectiveness of state gun laws that restrict who has access to guns.
- Is the administration’s plan to move the Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters to Colorado the first step in abolishing BLM and transferring millions of acres of federal land to the states?
- Likewise, many knowledgeable people are leaving the USDA because of the sudden move of its headquarters from Washington DC to Kansas City. The stated goal of deconstructing the federal government is well underway!
- Despite evidence of its toxicity, particularly to children, EPA is rolling back the ban on the pesticide, chlorpyrifos.
Postcard Writing Group Meets September 6th For the remainder of the year the postcard group will meet only on the first Friday of the month (September 6th) at 5PM at The Bird and the Book, 1509 E. Broadway, Maryville. Join the group for postcard writing and a meal! Supplies and instructions are provided, except for your own personalized return address labels. Everyone is welcome! Bring a friend to this fun gathering.
Members of Congress (MoC) Contact Information A good way to fax these folks is to use ResistBot. Text “resist” to 50409 and follow the instructions. When contacting them in any form, always ask for a response.
- Rep. Tim Burchett: 800 Market St. Suite 110 Knoxville TN 37902, phone: 202-225-5435 (DC), 865-523-3772 (Knoxville), 865-984-5464 (Maryville), email: https://burchett.house.gov/
zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/ email-me, Twitter = @timburchett - Sen. Alexander: 455 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510, phone: 202-224-4944 (DC), 865-545-4253 (Knoxville), 423-752-5337 (Chattanooga) or 615-736-5129 (Nashville), email: https://www.alexander.senate.
gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email. - Sen. Blackburn: B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510, phone: 202-224-3344 (DC), 865-540-3781 (Knoxville), 423-541-2939 (Chattanooga), email: https://www.blackburn.senate.
gov/contact_marsha , Twitter = @MarshaBlackburn
AUGUST EVENTS
Mom’s Demand Action, Aug 13, Tues 6:30-7:30 PM: Phone banking and writing postcards. Location: Tribe of Judah Event Center, 4101 Holston Dr. Knoxville. https://www.facebook.com/
Environment Working Group, Aug 14, Wed 4:30 PM. Monthly meeting at the Public House, 321 High Street, Maryville.
Recess Rally Aug 18, Sun 3-4PM. Sponsored by Knoxville Moms Demand Action and Women’s March Coalition-East TN to demand the Senate take up anti-gun violence legislation. Location: Howard Baker Jr. Federal Court House, 800 Market Square Knoxville. See the book event: https://www.facebook.com/
Febb Burn Day Dinner & Sampler, Aug 18, Sun 5-8PM. Hosted by Suffrage Coalition, The Foundry, 747 Worlds Fair Park Dr. Knoxville. Tickets =$50. This is a preview event to the 100th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote celebration on Aug. 18, 2020. Artists, musicians, authors, actors, vendors and other resources for next year will display their examples of suffrage work that will be available next year. Silent auction, Purses, jewelry, hats, buttons, sashes of suffrage finery for next year. https://www.facebook.com/
Voting Rights Working Group Meeting, Aug 19, Mon 6-8PM. Study Room A at Blount County Public Library, 508 N Cusick St. Maryville
Power & Privilege in America, Aug 19, Mon 5:40-7PM. Hosted by Maryville AAUW. Location: Lawson Auditorium (downstairs in Fayerweather Hall), Maryville College, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy Maryville. https://www.facebook.com/
TVA Board Listening Session in Knoxville, Aug 21, Wed 3:30 PM. Hosted by the Sierra Club. Location: 400 W Summit Hill Dr., Knoxville. For more information and to RSVP: https://act.sierraclub.org/
Voter Registration Training, Aug 21, Wed 6:30-7:30 PM. Hosted by League of Women Voters-BC. Location: Sharon Lawson Room, Blount County Public Library, 508 N Cusick St Maryville.
A Seat at the Table, Aug 23, Fri 6-8PM. A Seat at the Table (ASATT), Green Meadow United Methodist Church, 1633 Louisville Rd Alcoa TN. A conversation and meal among people from diverse backgrounds. A guided discussion, participants around the table share their stories and aspirations, listen closely to one another, form new friendships and discover how much they have in common. These conversations help to build community, combat stereotypes and establish connections. There is no charge to attend, registration requested: call 503-894-0187; or email ramaloha@hotmail.com.
Blount Pride Event, Aug 24, Sat 3-10PM. The first-ever Pride event in Blount County. Folks are invited to join in games, shows, treats and more. This is a family-friendly event. All are welcome. Hosted by The Bird and The Book, 1509 E. Broadway Ave, Maryville.
Social Justice Movie Series: True Justice – Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Justice. Aug 24, Sat 12-3PM, TN Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike Knoxville. For more details: https://www.facebook.com/
Maryville Huddle Meeting & Presentation on Poverty in America, Aug 29, Thurs 7-9PM. Speaker is Dr. Don Bruce, the Douglas & Brenda Home Professor of Business in the Haslam College of Business, University of TN. Location: Dorothy Herron Room, Blount County Public Library, 508 N. Cusick St. Maryville. https://www.facebook.com/
Juneteenth 400 Year Celebration – “The Journey of a Courageous People’s Triumph Over Slavery” Aug 31, Sat 12-3PM. A time of worship, education, fellowship, food, fun and games for all ages. June 19th (Juneteenth) commemorates the ending of slavery in America. The state of Pennsylvania recently declared June 19th a state holiday. City of Alcoa Service Center, 725 Universal St Alcoa. Sponsored by BC NAACP.
Future Huddle Meeting Dates: We meet at Blount County Public Library, Dorothy Herron Room A, monthly on the last Thursday. Future meeting dates:
- Aug 29 (Poverty in America -Safety Net Programs in the USA & TN)
- Sept 26 (TN Equality Project – Update on Discriminatory Legislation in TN)
- Oct 24 (Note date change; Sunrise Movement),
- November and December There are no meetings due to the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- January 30 (Moms Demand Action – TN Gun Legislation), Feb 27.
Maryville Huddle Calendar of Events: https://sites.google.com/view/
